1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of composing an electronic mail and a computer-readable recording medium recorded thereon an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the electronic mail composing method. In particular, the invention can be employed in an electronic mail system, and relates to a method of composing an electronic mail so as to enable a body of an outgoing electronic mail to be composed easily and to a computer-readable recording medium recorded thereon an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the electronic mail composing method.
2. Description of the Background Art
With development of network system, use of electronic mails has recently become increasingly prevalent that is realized by computer equipment (personal computer, work station, portable information terminal etc.). Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-27141 discloses an electronic mail system which enables a return electronic mail to easily be composed for exchange of electronic mails which require reply.
According to this electronic mail system, a sender attaches a mark code and a response candidate list (list of response sentences), when the sender composes an outgoing electronic mail, to the body of the electronic mail at a portion to which any response is required. When the electronic mail is transmitted, control information associated with the mark code and the response candidate list is attached to the electronic mail.
The control information is formed of, in addition to information on the form such as destination address and subject, (1) information for specifying whether or not the mark code is displayed when the incoming electronic mail is displayed, (2) information for specifying whether or not the response candidate list is displayed when the incoming electronic mail is displayed, and (3) a standard response candidate list which is used when there is no response candidate list.
A receiver who receives the electronic mail to which the mark code and the response candidate list are attached together with the control information looks for the mark code in the incoming electronic mail and selects any response sentence from the response candidate list when the receiver composes a return electronic mail to the sender. The return electronic mail is thus composed automatically.
According to this electronic mail system, however, if a user who composes a return electronic mail does not know the method of answering a mail by utilizing the mark code, the user cannot know which portion in the electronic mail requires a response. Therefore, the user cannot select a response sentence from the response candidate list.
When the user composes a return electronic mail, the user selects a response sentence from the response candidate list which is prepared by the sender. In such a conventional electronic mail system, if the sender is the receiver""s boss or trading partner, the receiver cannot change the expression of the response such that the response sentence is composed in polite expressions depending on the sender.
Further, if the receiver wants to return a response which is not included in the response candidate list prepared by the sender, the receiver after all has to compose the return electronic mail by the conventional method. In the conventional electronic mail system, the sender of a return electronic mail has a low degree of freedom and has difficulty in correctly conveying the sender""s intention.
The present invention is made to solve the problems above. One object of the present invention is to provide a method of composing an electronic mail to allow expressions (words and phrases) which are appropriate for a receiver of the electronic mail to be employed as contents of the electronic mail, and a computer-readable recording medium on which recorded an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the method of composing an electronic mail.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of composing an electronic mail to enable a body of a return electronic mail which is appropriate for a receiver of the electronic mail to easily be composed, and a computer-readable recording medium on which recorded an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the method of composing an electronic mail.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of composing an electronic mail to enable a body of a return electronic mail which is appropriate for a receiver of the electronic mail to easily be composed and to enable contents of an incoming mail to be quoted, and a computer-readable recording medium on which recorded an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the method of composing an electronic mail.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of composing an electronic mail to enable a body of a return electronic mail with various types of contents to easily be composed, and a computer-readable recording medium on which recorded an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the method of composing an electronic mail.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method of composing an electronic mail to enable mail expressions to be composed according to each category attribute by selecting a category attribute of each electronic mail ID (Identification), (mail address), and a computer-readable recording medium on which recorded an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute the method of composing an electronic mail.
According to one aspect of the invention, a method of composing an electronic mail is employed in an electronic mail composing device including a memory which stores an electronic mail ID of a destination, a category attribute of the electronic mail ID, mail expressions which are grouped according to each category attribute, and an incoming electronic mail, an input/output unit which receives an operational instruction from a user, and a central control unit which composes an outgoing electronic mail following the operational instruction of the input/output unit. The electronic mail composing method above includes the steps of setting, by the central control unit, an electronic mail ID of a destination in an outgoing electronic mail following an operational instruction of the input/output unit, and inserting into a body of the outgoing electronic mail, by the central control unit, a mail expression corresponding to a category attribute of the electronic mail ID of the destination which is stored in the memory following an operational instruction of the input/output unit.
A mail expression which corresponds to a category attribute of an electronic mail ID of a destination is inserted into a body of an outgoing electronic mail. The body of the outgoing electronic mail which is appropriate for a receiver of the electronic mail can thus be composed easily by preliminary preparing a mail expression which corresponds to the category attribute.
Preferably, the step of setting the electronic mail ID of the destination includes the step of setting by the central control unit following an operational instruction of the input/output unit an electronic mail ID of a source of an incoming electronic mail which is stored in the memory in the outgoing electronic mail as the electronic mail ID of the destination. The step of inserting a mail expression into the body of the outgoing electronic mail includes the step of determining by the central control unit whether or not the electronic mail ID of the destination is registered in the memory, and if the electronic mail ID of the destination is registered in the memory, inserting a mail expression corresponding to the category attribute of the electronic mail ID of the destination into the body of the outgoing electronic mail.
A mail expression corresponding to a category attribute of an electronic mail ID of a destination of a return electronic mail is inserted into a body of the outgoing return electronic mail. The body of the return electronic mail appropriate for the receiver of the electronic mail can thus be composed easily.
Still preferably, the method of composing an electronic mail further includes the steps of allowing a user by the central control unit to select whether or not the user quotes contents of an incoming electronic mail, and quoting, by the central control unit, the contents of the incoming electronic mail stored in the memory in contents of an outgoing electronic mail if the central control unit receives an operational instruction from the input/output unit to quote the contents of the incoming electronic mail.
The contents of the incoming electronic mail can thus be quoted.
Still preferably, the method of composing an electronic mail includes the steps of allowing a user by the central control unit to select a category attribute of an electronic mail ID, allowing the user by the central control unit to compose a mail expression corresponding to the selected category attribute, and storing by the central control unit the mail expression composed by the user in the memory together with the category attribute.
The user can select a category attribute according to each electronic mail ID and compose a mail expression according to each category attribute.
Still preferably, the step of inserting a mail expression into a body of an outgoing electronic mail includes the steps of determining, by the central control unit, whether or not there is one type of mail expression or are a plurality of types of mail expressions corresponding to a category attribute stored in the memory, and inserting by the central control unit a mail expression into a body of an outgoing electronic mail if there is one type of mail expression corresponding to the category attribute, and if there are a plurality of types of mail expressions corresponding to the category attribute, allowing the user by the central control unit to select any one of the mail expressions, and inserting by the central control unit the mail expression selected by the user via the input/output unit that is stored in the memory into the body of the outgoing electronic mail.
Even if a plurality of types of mail expressions are prepared for a certain category attribute, one of the expressions is inserted into a body of an outgoing electronic mail. By preparing in advance a plurality of mail expressions for each category attribute, a body of an outgoing electronic mail having various types of contents can easily be composed.
According to another aspect of the invention, a computer-readable recording medium has recorded thereon an electronic mail composing program in order to have a computer execute a method of composing an electronic mail. A computer includes a memory which stores an electronic mail ID of a destination, a category attribute of the electronic mail ID, mail expressions grouped according to each category attribute, and an incoming electronic mail. The method of composing an electronic mail includes the steps of setting an electronic mail ID of a destination in an outgoing electronic mail and inserting into a body of the outgoing electronic mail a mail expression corresponding to a category attribute of the electronic mail ID of the destination which is stored in the memory.
A mail expression which corresponds to a category attribute of an electronic mail ID of a destination is inserted into a body of an outgoing electronic mail. By preliminary preparing the mail expression according to the category attribute, the body of the outgoing electronic mail which is appropriate for the receiver of the electronic mail can be composed easily.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.